to the Authority of the Sacred Writings yet none of them give us a plain and particular Account of this Beginning and Original of the Mundane Fabrick Yea the very Philosophick Men among the Gentiles in a most wild and rambling manner talk of the Rise of all things and at the same time baâ—â—le themselves Thus the Epicureans tell us a sensless Story of the Eternal frisking of Atoms which yet if they were Eternal had no Beginning or Riâ—e at all Pythagoras and his Disciples and Plato and some of the Peripateticks held that Men were always and that there was an Eternal Succession of them and consequently no Original of them Others who believ'd they had a Beginning had strange and monstrous Fancies concerning it as that Men were form'd out of Fishes which was Anaximander's Conceit Others imagin'd they shooted out of Trees some out of Eggs others out of Wombs affix'd to the Earth as Epicurus and Lucretius Others as the fabulous Poets conceited they were produced out of Stones and Cicero relates concerning some of the Philosophers that they thought the Original of Mankind was from Seed falling from the Stars and impregnating the Earth This stumbling at the Threshold these extravagant and groundless Notions conceâ—ning the very first Original of things were too ominous a Presage that these Philosophers would grosly mistake about other Matters and give us but a sorry Account of the other Works of Nature But Moses confutes all these fond Surmises about the Nativity of the World and of Mankind he quashes all those wild Conjectures by assuring us that Man had his Origine from the Earth by God's peculiar framing him out of it and that the World it self had its Being by Creation i. e. by being made out of Nothing by the Infinite Power and Wisdom of God Wherefore it was rightly said by an Understanding Person I am perswaded saith he that in the first Chapter of Genesis Moses taught more than all the pagan philosophers and Interpreters of Nature And that this first Chapter of the Bible is an Historical or Physical Account of the Creation of the World and is no Allegory is not to be question'd by any Man of a sober Mind and consistent Reasoning For thus I argue It is highly fitting that the Doctrine of the â—irst Rise of the Universe the Production of all things should not be leâ—t doubtful but be convey'd unto us in such a way as may best preserve the Memory of so weighty and considerable a Matter For this is of such Concern that our Belief of Providence and the true Nature of God is comprised in it Now a Thing of this Quality ought not to be so deliver'd that it may be liable to Imposture or suspected of Falshood or Uncertainty As for private and personal Revelations which some may here suppose these can only satisfy the individual Persons to whom they are communicated and as for Oral Tradition it is not so certain but that it may leave some Scruples in Mens Minds Hence it is reasonable that the History of the World should be digested into such Records which may assure us of what is to be believed and therefore it is sit that they should be Plain and Simple and properly to be taken and understood so that they may be reckon'd as an Indubitable Account of the World's Production therefore such is this Relation which Moses hath lest us which is a Perfect Diary of thâ—â— First Work of the Almighty But I will attempt yet further to prove that thiâ— History deserves that Name i. e. that it relates what was really done If this be acknowledged by some Sacred and Inspired Author I conceive that will be a fair Conviction to those who believe that Author to be inspired and to deliver things that are really true That St. Peter then in the third Chapter of his second Epistle where he briefly describes the Make and Frame of this World as it was formed at the first Creation refers to this Mosaick History and also fully confirms it will appear in the Perusal of that his Description where you will find those very Terms which Moses in the first of Genesis makes use of This they are willingly ignorant of saith the Apostle that the Heavens were of old i. e. from the Beginning which in the Verse before is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Beginning of the Creation which agrees exactly with the first Words of Genesis And these Heavens were by the Word of God which is a reference to God said which Moses expresly mentions chap. 1. 6 14. Next to the Heavens he makes mention of the Earth as Moses doth telling us that it Stood or consisted out of the Water and in the Water which is the same Account of it which we have in Genesis viz. that it was partly above Water and partly under i. e. it was above the Seas Fountains Rivers c. but under the wâ—tyr Mass of Clouds So that any Man of unprejudiced Thoughts cannot but see that those Words the Earth standing out of the Water and in the Water plainly relate to the Mosaical History where we are told that the Globe of Earth included in it a heap of Waters call'd the Deep or the Abysâ— which was afterwards gathered into one Receptacle or Channel This is call'd the Water undâ—r the Firmament i. e. under the Expansion of the Air as the Water above the Earth viz. the Clouds are call'd the Water above the Expansion Gen. 1. 7. Thus you see all this is alledged and acknowledged by St. Peter as True History and accordingly is made use of by him Wherefore we are ascertain'd from his infallible Pen that the Mosaick Account of the Creation is no Fiction no strain of Poetick Fancy but is perfectly Historical and to be taken in a real proper and literal Sense which was the thing to be clear'd Wherefore Origen and the rest of the Allegorists who despise the Letter of this Chapter and rely chiefly on some Mystick and Symbolical Meanings are confuted And so likewise are they that adhere to the foolish Dreams of Philosophers concerning the Eternity of the World or its being made by Chance or the Existence of More Worlds All these are inconsistent with Moses's Account of the Creation besides that they affront other Principles establish'd by the Holy Scriptures and bid desiance to Reason and the greatest Evidence of things So that it is to be wondred that any Person who pretends to own the Divine Authority of the Bible should publickly disown Moses's Relation of the First Original of the World and look upon this first Chapter of Genesis as well as he doth on the third as not True i. e. not giving an Account of Matter of Fact But there was a kind of Necessity upon him to form such Thoughts as these concerning this Entrance of Moses's Book because he had in his Theory of the Earth run counter to that Relation of it which Moses gives This is the
bold Man that asseâ—ts the Primitive Earth to have been without Sea and without Mountains and the Airy Expansion to be without Clouds which are a plain contradicting of Moses who saith the Waters were gather'd together and were called Seas ver 10. and informs us that there were other Waters above the Firmament or Air ver 7. and in another Place lets us know that all the high Hills and Mountains were cover'd by the Waters of the Deluge Gen. 7. 19 20. Thus it must needs be ill philosophizing in defiance of Moses the first of the Philosophick Order This is Confutation enough of his Hypothesis and herein I am satisfied that the Excepter against his Book is in the right Now to support his own Opinion and to run down Moses he tells us that instead of a History we are here presented with a Parable with an Ethical Discourse in an obscure way This Philosophick Romancer turns the Holy Scriptures into Aesop's Fables and seems with his Friend Spinosa to hint that the Writings of the Prophets are only high Flights of Imagination God forbid that I should fasten any such thing upon him or any the like Imputation on any other Man of Learning or so much as suspect it unless there were some ground for it I appeal therefore to all persons of correct Thoughts whether his asserting that Moses the Prime and Leading Prophet is so fanciful that he presents us with mere Allegories and Parables even when he seems to speak of the Creation of the World and the Fall of our First Parents whether I say this doth not argue that the rest of the Prophetick Writers who could not do amiss in imitating so Great a Guide are led wholly by Imagination and dictate not things as they really are but as they fancied them to be Nay he not only overthrows the Truth and Reality of Moses's Writings but he blasts the Integrity of the Penman himself telling us that he was a Crafty Politician and Dissembler one that did all to comply with the People one that cheated the ignorant Jews with a thing like an History merely to please them whâ—lst in the mean time it is nothing but a piece of Morality in an Allegorized way and is to be understood so by us Certainly Moses needed not to have been Inspired by the Holy Ghost as I suppose most grant him to be to have merited this Character But I have animadverted on him with some Freedom in a former Discourse and therrfore I will not say any more here Nor should I have said any thing then or now if I had not been verily perswaded that the Credit of Moses and of the Scriptures themselves and consequently of our whole Religion lay at stake for if this 1st Chapter of Genesis together with the rest which follow which have all the Marks of History upon them be not Literal and Historical we know not what Judgment to make of any other Places of Scripture which recite Matter of Fact we can't tell whether any Text bears a Literal Sense or no and so we throw up the whole Bible into the Hands of Scepticks and Atheists After all that I have said under this Head I would not be thought to mean any such thing as this that the Scripture was designed for Philosophy No there are Nobler things that it aims at Yet this is most certain that here is the Best Philosophy both Moral and Natural It is the latter I am now speaking of viz. the Knowledg of the Works of Nature God's creating of the World which is the fâ—rst â—tep to all Natural Philosophy This is to be learnt in the Beginning of this Holy Book whose Excellency and Perfection I am treating of Here the Birth and Original of all things are distinctly set down which is a Subject that all the Philosophers are defective in I grant whaâ— Cyril speaking of Moses saith that he design'd not to play the Philosopher in a subtile and curious manner and to be accurate in his Discourse of the First Principles of things but notwithstanding this it is an undeniable Truth that no Book in the World teacheth us the True Origine and Age of the World the Epoche of the Universe the Particular Order and Method of the Creation and more especially the manner of the Production of Mankind but This. By this alone we are fixed and determined in these Points and we have no longer any Reason to doubt and waver We may plainly discern from these Sacred Writings the Invalidity of those Notions which some Philosophick Heads have entertain'd viz. the Eternity of the World the Production of it by Chance or the Mechanical Rise of it by virtue of mere Matter and Motion All these fond Conceits are silenced by this Sacred Author an Happiness which we could not have had if this most Antient and Authentick Book were not extant Thirdly We have no Account of the first Rise of Nations and People in the World but â—rom the Mosaick History Here and only here we have an Exact Narrative of the dividing of the Earth among the Sons of Noah and their Posterity It is in the Tenth Chapter of Genesis that we have the History of the First Plantations A Choice Monument of Antiquity and to be priz'd by all Lovers of Antient Learning those that delight to enquire into the First Originals of things Here we are inform'd that Iapheth the eldest Son of Noah and his seven Sons were the first that peopled that part of the World which is call'd Europe with a part of Asia the Less His Sons are reckon'd up in this manner 1. Gomer whose Progeny seated themselves in the North-East part of that Leâ—â—er Asia which contains Phrygia Pontus Bithynia and a great part of Galatia These were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Iosephus call'd by the Latins Galatae among whom is the City Comara according to Pliny and Mela speaks of the Comari The People that dwelt in this Tract were as Herodotus and other Antient Historians testify callâ—d Cimmerii and had their Name from Gomer if we may give Credit to some of the Learnedest Criticks such who are not wont to rest in fanciful Derivations They tell us that Gomeri Comeri Cumeri Cimbri Cimmerii are the same The Old Germans are thought by them to have been a Colony of these Cimmerians or Gomerians for German is but a Corruption of Gomerman The Old Galls were another Colony of the Gomerians who by the Grecians were call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and contractedly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Celtae for it appears that the Cimbri or Cimmerii were the antient Inhabitants of Old Gallia And our Ancestors the Britains were of the same stock for that they descended from the Galls or Celtae who were the Gomeri or Cimbri of old our own Learned Antiquary Mr. Cambden attempts to prove from their Religion Manners Language c. The Inhabitants of Cumberland as he thinks retain the Name still
Faint Radiancy in comparison of what was afterwards on the fourth Day when we are told in what certain Subjects the Light resided and was as it were fix'd But now it was feeble and vagrant and was the first Result of some â—iry and luminous Matter which the Divine Spirit by his powerful Moving and Incubation had engender'd This Bright and Glorious Matter was the Second General Source of all Beings that is out of it were made the pure Aether the Sun and Stars and whatever belongs to the superiour Part of the World but these appertain to the fourth Day 's Work Now we are only to take notice of this Light as it is here the Catholick Term for the First Rudiment of the whole Celestial Creation as Earth was the word to express the First Matter of the Inferiour Part of the World And what is this Light but Fire or Flame that subtile Matter which heats and enlightens the World For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is both lux and ignis as also the Greek Word imports So Heat is put for Light Psat. 19. 6. And I could observe that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used not only in Isa. 18. 4. but in other Places to express the Hebrew Word for Heat Which shews the Affinity if not the Identity of these two This Original Light then which was the Second Principle in the Creation is no other than those fine and brisk Particles of Matter whose Nature is to be in a Continual Agitation and which by their restless Motion and Pressure communicate Warmth and Light Vigour and Lustre where-ever there is need of them in the Universe Some refer the Creation of Angels to this first Day 's Work by reducing them to the word Heaven in the first Verse but I have suggested already that that Verse is a General Account of the Whole Creation and not of any Particular Day 's Production or else by Heaven and Earth there is meant the First Matter or Rude Draught of both therefore no such thing can be inferr'd thence Nor are we to think that the Angelick Order is comprehended under Light as I find some imagine because they read of an Angel of Light 2 Cor. 11. 14. for it is Material Light only that is the Product of the first Day 's Work I rather think that Moses designed not to include Angels in any Part of that Account which he gives of the Creation for he makes it his Business to speak of those Works of God which were visible and sensible and therefore 't is no wonder that the Angelick Spirits are not mention'd for they come not within the Compass of his Undertaking Hitherto we have had a View of the Two Primitive Materials of all visible Beings in the World viz. 1. The Formless Mass or Chaos whence 't is likely Aristotlâ— derived his First Matter which is according to him neither this nor that but mere passive Potentiality yet susceptive of any Form 2. The Active Light which was made to envigorate the dull and inert Matter of the Chaos and afterwards to be the Original of the Vast Luminaries of the Celestial Part of the World These are the General Elements of the Mundane System one gross and unactive the other subtile and penetrating the one the Matter of this inferiour Part of the Universe the other of those more spacious and extended Orbs above This I take to be the true Account of the Origine of the World though I have but few if any that concur with me in laying it down thus for the Chaos is generally made the Universal Source of the World But to me it seems to be but One Part of it and that of this Lower Division only which is very small in respect of the other I have only this to add here that it is this First Day 's Work alone that in the most proper and strict Sense ought to be call'd the Creation because now was made the First and Universal Substance out of which the Works of the other Days were produced though it is true in a latitude of speaking the Formation of the distinct Species of Beings was a Creation also And of these I proceed now to speak according to the Mosaick Method the same with that of the Creator On the second Day was the Lower Heaven or Firmament made call'd by this Divine Philosopher Rakiang i. e. the Expansion or according to the Seventy Interpreters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom the Vulgar Latin follows and renders it Firmamentum This was produced in the midst of the Waters and the Design of it was to divide the Waters from the Waters v. 6. i. e. as it follows the Waters under this Firmament from the Waters above it The Meaning of which is after all the wild Comments on these Words that whereas the Waters at first were heap'd together very high above the Earth in some Places the All-wise Disposer began this Day to make a Separation of them and to frame an Expansion for that is the simple and downright Import of the Hebrew Word between the lower and the higher Parts of the Waters so that now there was a Distance between them which was caused by the Interposition of Air between these lower and higher Parts of the Waters The Almighty Creator by attenuating and rarifying these transmuted them into an Aerial Body which shall always continue so i. e. shall remain really distinct from the crasser Subsistence of Water Therefore in plain Terms this Expansum is the Whole Region of Air and we cannot imagine any other Expansum or Out-spread Firmament which divides the superiour from the inferiour Waters i. e. the Clouds from that vast Body and Mass of Waters which at first cover'd the Earth and soon after as you shall hear were disposed of into particular Receptacles and were denominated the Seas But yet in a large way of speaking this Firmament here spoken of is all that Extended Space for that I say is the proper Denotation of the Word which reacheth from the Earth to the Place of the Stars which was made afterwards If it be asked why this Second Day 's Work hath not the same Approbation that the rest have I answer the Reason is not because it was not good but because it was but an Essay or Specimen of the two next Days Works for the Waters were but now begun to be separated which afterwards we find finish'd on the third Day and this Firmament was but a Beginning or Preparative to the Production of a higher and nobler Expansum on the fourth Day This we may conceive to be the Reason why the Epiphonema which is added to every Day 's Work God saw that it was good is not adjoined here On the third Day there was this fourfold Work 1. A Compleat Separating or dividing of the Waters 2. A Gathering of them into one Place which was then and is since call'd the Sea And it is most reasonable to believe that on the same Day that
among the Heathens of closing or shutâ— the Eyes of the dying Person and this by one â— was the most beloved of him was derived 〈◊〉 Gen. 46. 4. Joseph shall put his Hand upon thine Eâ—â—â— Accordingly we find this last Office of Friendâ—â— spoken of in Homer and other antient Writâ— both Greek and Latin The Gentile Story of Busiris's sacrificing of 〈◊〉 hath a very solid Foundation for we 〈◊〉 easily perceive that this arose from the true 〈◊〉 unquestionable History in Exodus where we 〈◊〉 of a New King over Egypt who set over the Isâ—â—lites Task-masters to afflict them with their Burdâ—â—â— and who made their Lives bitter with hard Bondâ—â— Exod. 1. 11 14. and this was He that made 〈◊〉 Edict of drowning the Hebrew Children ver 22â— This great Oppressor of Israel was that Busâ—â— whom the Gentiles speak of as a noted Tyrant 〈◊〉 Egypt and several agree that that was his tâ—â—â— Name The Israelites who came out of Canaâ— into Egypt were the Strangers and are truly called so The sacrificing of them is the cruel aâ—â— bloody handling of them That Egyptian Oppressor and Tyrant might rightly be said to sacrifice his Strangers when he used the poor Hebrâ—â— so inhumanely Ioseph's Great Fortunes and Noble Acts in Egyâ— are celebrated by professed Historians as well as Poets among the Pagans and therefore I need not mention these latter And of the former sâ—â—â— is sufficient to name Iustin who acquaints us that Ioseph was the youngest of his Brethren and â— his excellent Wit and Parts were dreaded by 〈◊〉 which very thing moved them to sell him â—to Egypt where in a short time he became a â—at Favourite of the King He goes on and tells That this Brave Man was very skilful in doing Wonders and was the first that found out the Meaning and Interpretation of Dreams The Scarcity or Dearth which happened to Egypt he foresaw many Years before it came That Land had perished if the King had not by his Advice laid up Corn in store He was a kind of Divine Oracle and consulted by the World because of his infinite Sagacity his transcendent Knowledg and Wisdom Any 〈◊〉 that hath read the Sacred History may see â—â—at this Character was borrowed thence And it â—s a very notable and illustrious Confirmation of the Truth of the Mosaick History and in that of the whole Sacred Scripture Next I will mention this that the Annual Custom of the Egyptians which Epiphanius speaks of of marking their Trees and their Flocks with something of a Red Colour as a kind of Preservative against any Harm and Mischief that might befal them was from the Israelites Practice of old in Egypt when they sprinkled the Lintels and Posâ—s of the Doors with Blood Exod. 12. 22. which preserved them from the last and worst Plague which befel the Egyptians In remembrance of this oâ— rather in a superstitious Imitation of it the People of Egypt afterward set a red Mark on their Hoâ—â— and Goods And that this Custom was borrow thence will appear the more probable by 〈◊〉 dering that this was done by them at the entrâ— of the Vernal Equinox as Epiphanius relates wâ—â—â—â— was the very time as we learn from Exod. 12. â— when the Israelites distinguish'd their Houses that Bloody Token Again I might offer it â— enquired into by the Learned whether the ◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sacrifices for Passing which weâ—â— use among the Grecians especially the Lacedâ— nians and are mention'd by Xenophon Thucyâ—â— and Plutarch be not an Imitaâ—â—on of or an A 〈◊〉 sion unto the famous Jewish Pesach which is ◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 transitus the Pass-over viz. when the â— stroying Angel passed over the Israelites Hoâ— and did the Inhabitants of them no harm Miâ—â—â—â— not this give occasion first to those Grecian ◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Passover-Sacrifices especially considerâ— that that Jewish Feast is call'd not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Philo Cyril of Alexandria â—â— gory Nazianzen and others The Conducting of the Children of Israel â— of Egypt and their miraculous Passing through 〈◊〉 Red-Sea and the overthrow of the Egyptians â— it could not but be famous among the Pagâ— though they endeavour'd to stifle or at leastâ— mince it whereof Iustin only tells us that tâ—â— King of Egypt followed the Jews when they 〈◊〉 Egypt but was forced to return back by reason â— a great Tempest which arose of a sudden Tâ—â— Fame of Moses's dividing the Red-Sea was kept â— among the Gentiles as Dâ—odorus Siculus witnâ—â—â—seth There is saith he a Report spread among the Ichthyophagi a People inhabiting the Shore near the Arabian Gulph which is 〈◊〉 Name given to the Red-Sea among Geographers namely that all that Place where that Gulph is was dried up the Waters flying back but after the Bottom had appear'd for some time the Place by a reflux of the Sea was â—â—rn'd into its former Condition So he And â—â—â—â—in he gives a most remarkable Testimony to â— Truth of those words in Exod. 14. 21. The 〈◊〉 caused the Sea to go back and made the Sea dry 〈◊〉 and the Waters were divided and in v. 27 â— The Sea returned to its Strength and the Waters â—red the Host of Pharoah It seems the Ichthyoâ—â— handed this Report to the Historian not the Egyptians though he had Converse with these a long time and they had Correspondence with the â—yophagi but the Egyptians were so cunning 〈◊〉 to conceal their Disgrace and Misfortune and hence it is that there is so little said among the Pagans concerning this matter As to the Red-Sea it self Mare Erythrâ—um there is in that Name a Remembrance of a known Person spoken of in the Old Testament viz. Esau. For as to what hath been said by some that this Sea had its Name from its Red Colour proves an arrant Falshood Coral at the bottom of it which some talk of is not red enough to give it such a Colour And the Weed which grows in it whence `t is call'd Iam Suph Mare algosum as Iunius and Tremellius always render it or Mare junci as others as if it were the Rush or Reed-Sea cannot give it the Denomination of Red because whatever some say of this weedy Stuff at the bottom of it the Water of this Sea is of the same Colour with other Seas as all Travellers attest Yea though that be true which hath been lately 〈◊〉 gested by some inquisitive Persons that this Wâ—â—â— call'd Suph is a kind of Saffron of which when 〈◊〉 taken out of the Sea is made a red Colour callâ— Sufo by the Ethiopians used for dying Cloth 〈◊〉 India and Ethiopia yet seeing the Sea it self is 〈◊〉 dyed with it but retains the Colour of other Sâ—â—â— I cannot think it is called the Red merely becaâ—â— of that Weed or Sedg used by Dyers Othâ— have said it hath this Epithet because the Stoâ—â— Cliffs Banks
of the Pentateuch that Excellent Philosopher Law-giver Historian that Captain that Prince that Prophet that Man of God who was the Inspired Writer of the five first Books of the Bible The first of which as I said before is Genesis which begins with the History of the Creation And I call it a History in opposition to the fond Conceit of those Men who read the Beginning of this Book with Cabalistick Spectacles only and think there are nothing but Allegories and Mysteries in the whole Text. But the contrary is very evident to unprejudiced Minds and to such as are not so I have propounded Arguments in another Place viz. when I treated of the Literal and Mystical Sense of Scripture to take off their Prejudces and Mistakes This I did because it is necessary to be firmly perswaded of the Truth and Certainty of what we meet with here in our Entrance into the Bible It is indispensably requisite that we believe Moses to have delivered these things as an Historian and that he speaks real Matter of Fact when he gives us a Narrative of the Beginning of all things and particularly of the Original of Man his Innocency and Happiness and after that his Fall which was the Source of all Sin of the Devil's Tyranny of Death of Hell and of all Evils whatsoever The Knowledg and Belief of This are the Basis of all Religion and that perhaps was the Meaning of Luther's Saying that the First Chapter of Genesis comprehends the whole scripture Wherefore this is with great Wisdom premised in the Entrance of this Sacred Volume To which afterwards are adjoined the Propagation of Mankind the Rise of Religion and of the Church of God the Invention of Arts the General Defection and Corruption of the World the Universal Delâ—ge which drown'd all Mankind but Noah and his Family the Restoration of the World the Certain Distinction of Times before the Flood and partly after it the Confusion of Toâ—gues and thereupon the Division of the Earth among the Sons of Men the Plantation of Families the Original of Nations and Kingdoms as the Assyrian Monâ—â—chy begun in Nimrod or Belus and the Egyptian Dynasty the History of the first Patriarchs not only before but after the General Deluge as of Noab the Preacher of Righteousness of Abraham the Father of the Faithful of Isaac the Seed in which all Nations were to be blessed of Iacob the Father of the twelve Tribes of Ioseph whose Memorable Actions are here fully recorded and with which this First Book of Moses â—nds unless the Book of Genesis may be said to reach as far as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because of that Promise contain'd in it concerning the Seed of the Woman that was to break the Serpent's Head Viz. Christ the Redeemer made of a Woman and sent to subdue the Devil and to destroy Sin and Death But because this First Book begins with the Creation of the World and is therefore by the Rabbins call'd the Book of the Creation I will here annex a brief View of the several Distinct Steps of this Great Work as they are represented to us by this Inspired Writer and Divine Philosopher who acquaints us that there were six Days spent in erecting this glorious Fabrick of the World And this will be a farther Proof of what I said before viz. that in Scripture is the Truest Philosophy When Moses saith In the Beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth Ver. 1. he doth in these Words give us a summary Account of all that he intended to say afterwards in this Chapter for Heaven and Earth comprehend the Whole Creation This first Verse then is to be look'd upon as a General Draught of the Production of all things and the Particulars of it follow in the next Verses where the several Days Works are distinctly set down The Product of the first Day was two-fold viz. the Terraqueous Mass call'd here the Earth and Light There was first of all created a Rude Confused Heap by Profane Writers call'd the Chaos an Indigested Mass of Earth and Water mix'd together out of which God afterwards made all Corporeal things which belong to this lower World For we must not as some imagine that the Celestial Bodies were composed out of the Earthly Chaos that all the Vast Spaces of the Heavenly Mansions owe their Rise to this Mass below and that the very Stars were the Offspring of the Earth No Moses gives us to understand that this Confused Lump was the Original only of the Lower World for the Earth in this first Verse is mention'd as one Part of the new-created World as distinct from Light the other Part of the Creation As Light then of which I shall speak next was the Primordial Matter of the Ethereal Celestial and Shining Bodies so this Gross and Lumpish Heap was that of which all Dark and Heavy Bodies were compounded This Unshapen Mass without Form and void is here by a general Name call'd the Earth though it was not in a strict sense such for the Earth as a distinct Body from all others was the Work of the third Day In this Place therefore by Earth is meant Earth and Water blended together which made one Great Bog or Universal Quagmire This is the plainest and truest Conception we can have of the Primitive State of the World And hence without doubt was derived the Opinion of Thales and some other Antient Philosophers that Water or Slime or Mud for they express it variously was the Source of all Beings whatsoever And certain it is that this Terraqueous Matter was the first Origine of all those material Beings before-mention'd Accordingly Sir W. Raleigh in the Beginning of his History of the World determines that the Substance of the Waters as mix'd in the Body of the Earth is by Moses understood in the word Earth Hitherto according to the Mosaick History Nature is in her Night-clothes the World is overspread with Darkness which is especially said to be on the face of the Deep by which is meant either the whole Disorder'd Mass which was an Abyss or else as is most probable the Watry Part of it for though this and the Earthy Parts were mix'd together yet these latter being lightest were generally uppermost and floted above all and appear'd on the Surface of the Earth Therefore that Learned Knight before mention'd observes that the Earth was not only mix'd but cover'd with the Waters But the Spirit of God as Moses proceeds to tell us maved or hover'd over this Dark Abyss this Mix'd Chaos especially the Waters as 't is particularly said because these were uppermost and hereby the Rude Matter was prepared to receive its several Forms and then the World began to throw off its Dark and Sable Mantle and to appear in a Bright Dress For the other Product of this first Day and which indeed made it Day was Light i. e. some Lucid Body or Bodies which yet cast but a Glimmering Splendor a
the Seas were made by depressing some Parts of the Earth for the Waters to run in the Channels also of the Rivers were fix'd and the Currents of Water let into them For if as some imagine Rivers were made afterwards by Men the Banks of them or one Side of them at least would be higher than the rest of the Ground by reason of the Earth dug out and cast up 3. A Drying of the Land which was a necessary Consequence of that collecting the Waters into certain Cavities and Channels in the Earth for they being drain'd and sunk down into these the Land became dry and had the Denomination of Earth properly so call'd given to it Virgil expresses it thus for he as well as other Poets as I have shew'd in another Place borrowed several things from the Sacred Records Et durare solum discludere Nerea Ponto Coepit And this was not only in order to render it a sutable Habitation for Men and Beasts afterwards but to sit it immediately for Plants and Herbs for Trees and Fruits and more especially for the Plantation of Paradise which were the fourth and last Production of this Day The next Day was employ'd in creating of an Etherial Heaven or Firmament and furnishing it with Glorious Lights As the former Firmament or Expanse was the Space between the Earth and Aether so this is that vast Extension which comprehends the Aether and all the Luminaries placed in it and whatever is above it even the Place of the Blessed call'd the Heaven of Heavens The Generality of Expositors I grant make the other Firmament and this the same and think that the Firmament here spoken of is not mention'd as the Product of this Day 's Creation but that here is only a new mentioning of the preceding one But this Mistake hath run them into great Absurdities and hath made them unable to give any tolerable Account of the Waters under the Firmament and those above it But if you quit the usual Road of Interpreters and take the Firmament in the 14th Verse to be different from that in ver 6 7. you solve all Difficulties whatsoever and the Texts are clear and evident Wherefore I distinguish between the Firmament of Air and that of Aether i. e. that wherein the Clouds and Meteors are and the other which contains the Luminaries of Heaven And you may observe that this in contradistinction to the former is signally stiled thrice the Firmament of Heaven ver 14 15 17. This Celestial Expansion being fix'd the next Work was to garnish and adorn it To which purpose the Light made the first Day is now abundantly and almost infinitely augmented and refined and disposed of into certain particular Orbs or Spheres or Vortices which are form'd in this upper Part of the World As all the formerly dispersed Light which was scatter'd over the whole Face of the Earth and Deep was as we expresly read ver 4. divided from the Darkness whereby one half of the Globe was enlightned and the other was in the dark it was Day with one Hemisphere whilest it was Night with the other so now on the third Day this Wandring Light is gather'd into the Bodies of the Sun and Stars This is the Mosaick Philosophy concerning the Earth and Heavens and if it were my Business here I could shew that upon true Principles of Reason it is more consistent than any Philosophical Hypotheses of another Strain and especially more congruous to the Laws of Motion and the Operations of Nature than that of Monsieur Des Cartes who tells us that there were nothing but Suns and Stars at first there were no Earths nor Planets but in process of Time some of these Suns were overspread with Spots and Scum and became opake and being suck'd in by their Neighbour-Vortices turn'd into Planets or Earth But truly to give this worthy Person his due he propounded this only as a Handsome Hypothesis a neat Philosophick Fiction which he thought might serve as a good Expedient to solve some Celestial Phaenomena But he intended not that any Man should look upon it as a Reality and thereby exclude the Mosaick Doctrine For his own Words are these It is not to be doubted that the World was at the very first created with all its Perfection so that there were then existent the Sun Earth and Moon This the Christian Faith teacheth us and even natural Reason perswades us to think so for when we attend to the Immense Power of God we can't imagine that he ever made a thing which was not every ways entire and perfect Thus he establisheth the Mosaick System according to which the Earth was before not after the Heavens yea as gross as it was it was the First-born of the Creation and consequently the Hypothesis about its being made by Absorption is a Fiction So according to Moses the Earth was the Basis and Foundation of the World and the Sun and other Luminaries were placed in the Firmament which is said to be above the Earth wherefore the System that makes the Earth the Center and not the Sun is founded on this Before I dismiss this Head I might take notice how mightily concern'd the Arcâ—aeologist is about the Inequality of the Days Works and especially that of this Fourth Day which he tells us exceeds all the other five and therefore he cannot give Credit to Moâ—es's Hexaëmeron This is the wild Reasoning of this Philosophick Adventurer Indeed both here and in other Places where he descants on the Mosaick History he uses a most extravagant and to speak plainly a most irreligious Liberty confronting the Text with an unsufferable Boldness and playing upon it with a most unbecoming Raillery Is he to set the Almighty Creator his Tasks and proportion them as he think fit Must every Day 's Work be equal or else must it not be believed Yea is he able to tell what is equal or unequal with the Omnipotent Deity and most Wise Architect of the World Surely this is not the Language of a Christian Man Yea which perhaps will affect him more 't is as sure that he dotâ— not talk like a Philosopâ—er for it is certain and all Intelligent Men will acknowledg it that Dull Gross heavy Matter aboâ—t which the foregoing Days Works were conversant is not if we speak of the Nature of the thing so soon moved shaped and order'd as that which is Tenuious Fluid subtile and active The Make of the Heavens and all the spatious Bodies of the Stars was quickly dispatch'd because the Matter of them was Ethereal light tractable and by reason of their â—iry and agile Nature they presently ran into that Shape which they now appear in This should have been consider'd by this Cavilling Gentleman and he ought to have made a Distinction between what in it self is Dull and what is Active i. e. the Tâ—o Different Principles of the Creation which I have before asserted If he had done so he would
have seen that there is no Reason to complain of Inequality in the Six Days Works But he mistook the System of the World which Moses describes and thence was his Error I wish it was not wilful and presumptuous for from several bold Strokes in this Ingenious Man's Writings one would be apt to think he enclined to Alphonsus's Humour who declared that if he had been at the Creation of the World he could have taught God to have formed the System of it better But I will retain a more charitable Opinion concerning this Author And I expect that he shoud shew his Charity as I have mine in not censuring this my free Descant upon what he hath publish'd to the World for I have as great a Regard as any Man to True and Sober Philosophy and I own the Great Worth and Excellency of it but I must needs protest that I abhor the Practice of those who exclude the Sacred Writings whilest they adhere to their own Hypothesis who set up such Philosophical Principles and Conclusions as directly oppose and contradict the Revealed Truths of the Bible And this is the Case now before us or else I should not have troubled the Reader with any Reflections on what this Learned Author hath written Let us have as much 〈◊〉 Philosophy as he pleases but none that subverts our Old Religion To proceed on the fifth Day the Inhabitants of the Seas and of the Lower Heaven were form'd For though the chearing and warming Light before it was embodied and gather'd together into certain Receptacles was instrumental by the Divine Power to produce Vegetables yet it was not vigorous enough to beget the Animal Life But now this Noble and Cherishing Virtue being mightily increas'd by immense Accessions of Light and Heat made to it and being more advantagiously placed and fix'd we find the Effect of it in the Production of Fish and Feather'd Animals Now a Living or Sensitive Soul is first made ver 21. On the sixth and last Day the Earth brought forth all kinds of Beasts and Cattle i. e. all Tâ—rrestrial Animals as on the foregoing Day all Animals belonging to the Sea and Rivers and to the Air were created And lastly Mun the Top and Glory of the Creatures the most Elaborate Piece of the whole Creation was framed out of the Dust and in respect of his Diviner Part especially made according to the Image of God himself He is too Great and Noble a Being to be spoken of by the by and therefore I shall not discourse of him here Only I will observe the Unreasonableness of the Archaeologist who positively avers that this last Day 's Performance was not proportionable to the rest and thence condemns the Mosaick History of the Creation But this Disproportion is either in respect of more or of less done on this Day than on the others If he complains that more was done he shews himself inconâ—iderate for hereby it appears that he takes no notice of the Creation's rising higher and higher towards the latter end besides that he confines the Creator himself But if he complains as I suppose he doth that less was done he shews what low and unworthy Thoughts he hath of Man as if Mud Water Earth Clouds Seas Plants Fish and Fowl the Productions of the former Days were much better than Him whom God purposely reserv'd to be the Complement and Perfection of all Him to whom every Creature pays a Tribute Him for whose Use and Benefit the whole World was made These are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Primitive Works of God and the Several Days in which they were made For we are not to imagine as some do that this Division of the Creation into so many Parts is only set down for Order sake but that really all was done at once and in a Moment for then the Reason given in the Fourth Commandment of sanctifying the Sabbath Day viz. because in six Days the Lord made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that in them is and rested on the seventh Day is to no purpose yea it is absolute Nonsense Therefore we must necessarily own the Gradual Progress of the Creation And let us not only do so but observe the Wisdom and Providence of the Infinite Architect in the Order and Method which he used He in creating began with the lowest and meanest Rank of Beings and so ascended to higher and nobler Simple Elements as Earth Water Fire or Light Air were produced before the more mixt and concrete Bodies Yea these Elements were placed according to the Order and Degree of Gravity first the Earth subsiding in the lowest Place of all for the Great and Renowned Tycho disdains not this Hypothesis then the Waters or Abyss placed immediately about the Earth next the Air or Expansion whose Position was above the Waters lastly the Fire call'd Light which comprehends all the Ethereal and Heavenly Bodies which are surmounted above all the rest As for the Planets which are so many Earths i. e. if by Earth we mean an opake Body they are to be accounted for at another time and in another Place where it will be most proper to speak of them It is also observable that things that were Inanimate were first brought into Existence and afterwards such as had a Vegetative Life then things that had Sense and Spontaneous Motion and lastly Reasonable Creatures Man was the concluding Work of the Creation and his Soul was the last of all to let us know that this sort of Beings is much more valuable than Bodies to assure us from the Method of God's creating that Minds or Spirits surpass Maâ—ter Finally when I say that the Creation ceased in Man as in the most Perfect Work of the Divine Artificer as in the End to which all the rest were designed I do not exclude Angels who are a Perfecter Classis of Creatures and are not united to Bodies as the Souls of Men are and for that very Reason are not taken notice of by Moses in this Account of the Visible Creation I am enclin'd to believe that these Glorious Spirits were made presently after Man they being an Order of Creatures superiour to him The Order of the Creation so far as we certainly know any thing of it invites me to embrace this Perswasion for according to this those Excellent Beings should have the last Place According to the Steps and Degrees of the Creation I say it was thus Exodus is the next Book which relates the Tyranny of Pharaoh the Bondage of the Israâ—lites under him in Egypt and their Wonderful Deliverance from it More particularly here are recorded the Prodigious Increase and multiplying of these oppressed Hebrews which were the Posterity of Iacob the Plagues inflicted on the Egyptian King and his People because he refused to dismiss them their Departure thence without his leave though not without the Peoples their Miraculous Passing through the Red Sea or Arabian Gulf the Overthrow of Pharaoh and
foretold concerning Xerxes that by his Strength through his Riches he should stir up all against the Realm of Greece ver 2. which we read was punctually fulfilled for he entred Greece with an Army that consisted of a Million of Men. And what is said concerning Alexander the Great viz. that his Kingdom should be broken and divided towards the four Winds of Heaven and not to his Posterity c. ver 4. we know was really accomplish'd The rest of the Chapter is a Prophetical History of the Exploits of those several lesser Kings among whom the Grecian Monarchy after Alexander's Death was divided especially of Antiochus the Great and of Antiochus Epiphanes Here as in the former Chapters you may see many things foretold a long time before they were fulfill'd which is a certain and undeniable Argument of the Prophetick Spirit in the Scriptures We might proceed to the Predictions and Prophecies of the New Testament which we see also are performed in great measure Here was foretold the wonderful Propagation of the Gospel the Rejection of it by the Jews the Receiving of it by the Gentiles the Destruction of Ierusalem and all the Calamities of that Nation These Predictions we know are accomplished Besides in the Writings of the New Testament we read that Christ foretold many things concerning himself and his Followers as the Scandal which his Disciples especially Peter would give Mat. 26. 31. Peter's triple Denial of him Luke 22. 31. and yet at the same time he foretold that it should not be accompanied with a final falling away ver 32. He foretold that he should be betrayed and that he should be mock'd and scourg'd and at last crucisied and that the third Day he should rise again Mat. 20. 17 18 19. And as he predicted his own Death the Place Time and Kind of it with the time of his Resurrection and I might have added also of his Ascension and of his sending the Holy Ghost so he did the same as to the manner of Peter's Death and he foretold Iohn the Evangelist's long Life He told his Disciples what should befal them after his Departure what Calamities and Sufferings they should meet with for their professing the Gospel and owning his Cause He acquainted them that the Gospel should be preach'd throughout the whole World that Scandals and Heresies should come into the Church that many should apostatize from the Faith and desert Christianity Mat. 24. And the Evangelists and Apostles as well as our Saviour from that Spirit of Prophecy which was in them foretold sundry things which we see since are fulfilled In their Writings are Predictions concerning the Calling of the Gentiles the Conversion of the Jews the State of the Christian Church the Rise of Antichrist his Character his Progress and his dreadful Downfal a great part of which is already fulfill'd Much of the Fate of the World which they foretold God hath brought to pass which gives us assurance that the rest will be accomplish'd in due time Yea there are at this day Prophecies fulfill'd every hour as that of the Blessed Virgin in her Magnificat From henceforth all Generations shall call me Blessed Luke 1. 48. The Memory of this holy Woman is daily celebrated in the Christian Church and her Name is blessed throughout all the Assemblies of the Saints They with one accord rejoice that of her was born the Holy JESUS who is Blessed for evermore And so likewise what Simeon and Anna foretold of Christ are every day accomplished some part of their Prophecies is at this very instant made good That is another Prophecy which is now fulfilling 2 Tim. 3. 1. In the last Days perillous Times shall come for c. with several others that might be named the Accomplishment of which no unprejudiced Man and of common Ingenuity will refuse to acknowledg Now this wonderful Prophetick Spirit in Scripture is a strong Argument that these Writings were inspired by God and that the Matter of them is Divine For the foreknowing or foretelling of things to come is one Character of the True God as you read in Isa. 41. 22 23. From thence it is evident that none can predict them unless he be immediately enlightned and taugh◠of God The certain and infallible Knowledg of future Contingences which depend on free Causes is from Him alone Wherefore when we see as in our present Case that things were expresly foretold several hundreds of Years before they came to pass and when we see that the Events exactly answer'd to the Predictions we cannot but acknowledg that these Predictions were from God and could not be from any else If it be objected That other Writings beside◠the Bible have Predictions in them and that Men of Skill and Sagacity do sometimes foretel Futurities yea that those who have the least Converse with God those who deal with Evil Spirits have predicted things to come and therefore this Argument is of no force I answer first It is true that Natural Skill especially improved by Art by Reason and Philosophy and the knowledg of the Laws of Nature will give Men Insight into some Futurities For God hath impress'd a particular Quality on Natural Bodies and they keep a constant Course He hath fixed a way for his Creatures to act in and they never go out of it of themselves The Operations and Effects of Fire and Water of Gravity and Levity in Bodies the Motion of the Sun and Moon and the Eclipses of either and the several Aspects of the Heavens may certainly be foretold for they continually and unerringly keep their Progress unless God pleaseth sometimes to cross their usual Course as when the Waters of the red-Red-Sea stood up on a heap whilst the Israelites passed over The Fire in Nebuchadnezzar's Furnace was restrain'd from doing any harm to those that were cast into it the Sun stood still in Ioshua's time and was retrograde in King 〈◊〉 And so there are monstrous and mishapen Creatures born into the World which deviate from the common Procedure of Nature But supposing that God suffers his Creatures to act according to the Laws of Nature it is easy to make a Judgment of them and to foretel what shall happen But the things we are speaking of and which are foretold in the Holy Writings are of another kind they are not fixed and determined by Nature and therefore 't is not in Man's power to predict their Events Again Physicians have their Prognosticks whereby they foretel what will become of the Patient whether the Disease will be hardly cured or easily or not at all But because these Prognosticks are founded on a great many Symptoms and these are uncertain and dubious it follows that those are so likewise though 't is certain an experienc'd Artist will see very far here Then as to future Occurrences in Bodies Politick a wise Man may by careful Observation and Remarks on the Affairs of the World gain some Insight into these by being long
it were easy to prove All which it is likely had its first Rise from the Old Testament and the Practice of the Antients recorded there Is it not reasonable to think that the Cities of Refuge among some Pagan Nations whither Offenders fled for Protection had their Origine from those so expresly mentioned in Numb 35. 13 14 15. Hence we read that Cadmus when he built Thebes founded a Place for all sorts of Criminals to repair to and Romulus at the building of Rome erected a Sanctuary for Offenders to fly to Further I could observe that the New-Moons were celebrated by the Athenians and other Grecians Concerning the first Plutarch is very positive and as to the rest that Proverbial Saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in use among them shews that they solemnly observ'd the first Day of the Month. The Romans likewise had the same Custom as is manifest from that of Ovid Vendicat Ausonias Iunonis cura Calendas And these New-Moon Festivals are referr'd to by Horace more than once as you may see in Turâ—â—bus All which is of Hebrew Extraction I could take notice that the Latin Iubilare and Iubilatio which are found in Varro and other old Romans which signify great Rejoicing and Shouting for Joy are from the old Jewish Law of Iubilee a Time of exceeding Gladness being the Year when Servants and Debtors were restored to their Liberty and Possessions which occasioned great Rejoicing And I could propound more Instances yet to prove that several Customs among the Heathens were extracted from the Holy Scriptures and that Heathen Worshippers shaped New Strange and Profane Rites and Ways of Worship out of the Passages they â—ead or heard of there and that most of the Heathen Usages are corrupt Imitations of the Jews I will add to the several Particulars this one more which though I will not confidently pronounce was borrowed from the Jews yet I propose it as a thing very probable It is this that the Hieroglyphicks of the Egyptians were in imitation of that People for they were brought up under Shadows Types and Symbols dark Representations and mystical Rites which might give occasion to the Egyptians to teach Religion and Morality by Hieroglyphick Figures I am not positive here nor would I be any where else unless I had good Grounds to go on because I am not altogether certain that the Hieroglyphick Learning began after Moses But there is great probability that it did and consequently that it was derived from what they observ'd among the Jews This is the Perswasion of the Inquisitive Kircher who without â—â—y hesitation averreth that the Symbolical and Hieroglyphick Learning was imbibed from the Hebrews Nay to go yet farther now we are come thus far there are those who conjecture that a great part of the Antient Gentile Philosophy was collected from the Holy Book of Scripture Among the antient Persians the Mosaick Religion might be â—iscovered in many Instances which might be given of their Principles and an Ingenious French Author hath lately proved that their Zoroastres was the same with Moses And as for the Pythagâ—rick and Platonick Philosophy which consists much in Figures and Numbers in Dark and Symbolical Precepts it is evident that it was made up out of the Sacred Hebrew Writings The Platonists Books concerning God the Genii the Spirits and Souls of Men though stuff'd with many Errors and Superstitions discover a great Resemblance and Affinity with those things which the Bible delivers about the Nature of God Angels and Humane Souls Eusebius particularly insists on this and derives the Platonick Doctrines from the Scriptures Hence both he and Clement of Alexandria take notice of what Numenius the Pythagorean Philosopher said of Plato namely that he was the Greek Moses And indeed most of the antient Sages and Philosophers were obscure and mystick in their Stile and way of delivering their Notions as the Sacred Writers are observ'd to be very often Hence it is said by the antient Father whom I last quoted That the way of Philosophizing among those Pagans was after the manner of the Hebrews that is Aenigmatical But as to the Matter as well as Stile the chiefest of the old Greek Poets and Philosophers as Orpheus Homer Hesiod Thales Anaxagoras Parmenides Empedocles Democritus Socrates besides Pythagoras and Plato before named agree with Moses We may say of them all as an Historian saith of the first of them after he had set down several Particulars of sound Philosophy in his Poems They have pronounced many things concerning God and Man which are consonant to that Truth which we who are taught by the Holy Writings profess This may give light to what an Egyptian Priest told Solon Yoâ— Grecians saith he are but of yesterday and know nothing of the Rise and Antiquity of Arts there is not one of you that is Old and there is no Learning among you that is Antient. His meaning was that all their Knowledg was borrowed and that the Sacred Mosaick Philosophy and Theology were the oldest of all From this the Heathens took theirs though sometimes they express it in different Terms Thus we have gone through the Moâ—aick Records and in many Instances shew'd the Derivation of Gentile Philosophy Principles Praâ—tices and Usages from those Sacred Writings and consequently we have evinced the Truth and Antiquity of these Records Before I leave this Head of my Discourse I will here add the Testimony of Pagan and Profane Authors concerning this great Law-giver Moses the first Penman of Holy Scripture which is still in prosecution of what I undertook to shew that the Writings of the Old Testament and with them their Authors and Penmen are attested by Profane Writers It appears first from what these have said that there was such a Person and that he was what his Writings represent him to be This is he that is called by Orpheus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alluding to his Name Mosheh Exod. 2. 10. which was given him because he was drawn out of the Water He is celebrated by Alexander Polyhistor Philochorus Thallus Appion cited by Iustin Martyr by Manethon and Numenius alledged by Origen and Eusebius by Lysimachus and Molon quoted by Iosephus by Chalcidius Sanchoniathon Iustin Pliny in Porphyrius Moses is placed by Dioâ—orus the Sicilian in the Front of his famous Law-givers only a little disguised under the Name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who is there said to have received his Laws from Mercury And why from Mercury Perhaps because some Chronologers acquaint us that the Great Mercurius stiled Trismegistus the antientest Philosopher among the Egyptians was either contemporary with Moses or is thought to have lived about his time But St. Augustine tells us in his Noted Book de Civitate Dei that this 〈◊〉 was Nephew to another Mâ—râ—urius whose 〈◊〉 was Atlas the famous Astrologer and he it was belike that flourished in Moses's time Whâ—â—â—â— if I
Sea according to Iosephus on whose â—hoar Ionas was vomited up This must be granted that the Fame of what befell the Prophet Ionah namely how he was swallowed by a Whale and preserv'd three Days and three Nights in its Belly and how he was after that cast upon the Land whole and sound might easily be conveyed to the Grecians by the Phaenicians their Neighbours thence they went to work after their old rate and fix'd it upon some body among themselves and whom could they more fitly apply this History to than to Hercules the great Adventurer by Sea as well as by Land and who was made the Author of all Great and Wonderful things The Fabulous Greek Poets catch'd up every Prodigious Occurence and attributed it to him but first they represented it with strange and uncouth Circumstances and moulded it as they pleas'd Thus the Gentiles framed new Gods and Heroes out of the Names and Persons they met with or heard of out of the Scriptures So it is the Gods of the Pagans were made out of Men in Holy Writ The Gentiles Worshipp'd these Famous Hebrews under other Names and Titles which they were pleas'd to fasten on them Behold the Servants and Favourites of the true God were Deiâ—ied by these Idolaters Holy Men were Canoniz'd and Worshipp'd by the very Heathen World There are some other Particulars which migâ—â— be named under this Head though they are 〈◊〉 so plain and evident as these already mention'd as that the Ancientest Apollo was Moses's 〈◊〉 who invented Musick that the Poets Ganyâ—â—â— snatch'd up into Heaven by Iupiter and turn'd iâ—â—â— that Sign which is called Aquarius refers to 〈◊〉 who was taken up to Heaven and before that hâ—â— command over the Waters of Heaven keepiâ—â— back the Rain for three years and afterwards bâ— Prayer causing those Waters to descend That the Story of Phaeton was grounded on this Prophet's Fiery Chariots that Lucifer's fatal Defection is meant by Phaeton's proud Attempt and Fall that the Dissoluteness of the Pagan Gods of which the Poets often speak refers to the Degeneracy and Corruption of the Sons of God complain'd of in Gen. 6. 2. And particularly that their Leud and Wanton Gods might be from a misinterpreting the 4th v. the Sons of God came in unto the Daughters of Men. Sometimes out of Things as well as Persons they coined Gods The Poets observing the RainBow to be a Sign of the change of the Air and Weather either to be fair or foul might make it the Messenger of the Gods who was sent out by them when there was any Change of the present Affairs nigh at hand But when I remember that observable Passage concerning the Rain-Bow in Gen. 9. 9. that it should be a Token of the Covenant between God and Man I am inclined to think that this was not unknown to some of the inquisitive Heathens who pried into the Sacred Writings of Moses and thence look'd upon that Remarkable Meteor as some Sacred and Divine thing and according to their fanciful way advanced it to the Office of Internuntia Deorum as they expresly call'd it and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Homer stiles it a Messenger between God and Men particularly a Messenger of Peace and Reconciliation with the new World â—n Angel of that Covenant This is their Iris which is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or it is perhaps from the Chaldee Ir an Angel Again there are â—trange Fiery Apparitions mention'd in the Old Testament as the Burning-Bush and the FlamingChariots before spoken of and we read that God appointed Holy-Fire to be kept always on the Altar Hence perhaps it was that Fire was made â— God and Worshipp'd by the Chaldeans and Persians and was in such request among the Old Romans that as you have heard they ordered the Vestal Virgins to keep it unextinguish'd Thus the Heathens had their Gods and Goddesses from the Holy Book which it may be that Sagacious Author of the Book of Maccabees meant when he said From the Book of the Law the Heathens sought to Paint the likeness of their Images We have found in this Discourse that their Images or Gods have been made like to those things which they meet with in the Sacred Writings I have shewed you the Resemblance and Agreement between them in many Considerable Circumstances CHAP. VII From the Names of the True God the Gentilâ—â— had the Names of their False ones as joâ—â— and Jao from Jâ—hovah and Jah 〈◊〉 from Adonai Baal Berith and Sabazius frâ—â— Epithets given to the True God Also tâ—â— Pagans giving the Title of Gods to theâ—â— Kings is deriv'd from the Sacred Writings Anchialum in Martial hath reference to thâ— form of Swearing in the Old Testament The Authors particular resolution of that mistakes word The use of the word Horns in Prâ—phane Authors is borrow'd from the Sacred Stile Several other words Phrases and Forms of Speech among the Pagans are taken thence There are some footsteps and relicks of the Sacred History in the most remote Countries of the World Objectioâ—â— against the foregoing Discourse answer'd Ninthly THE Heathens had the Names of 〈◊〉 Gods and the pronunciation of thâ—â— sometimes from the Names and Titles of the True God They seem to have derived something from what the Iews practis'd concerning the Great Tetragrammaton which was call'd by them Hashem the Name emphatically the Name appropriate to God the unexpressible Name for the Iews tell us that this Name which we read Ieâ—ovâ—â— was pronounced by the High Priest only and that but once a year in the Temple at the Feâ—â— of Propitiation so that it was not known by the People how it was pronounced When they met with it in their Bibles instead of it they read Adonai or Elohim Hence a great many Conjectures have been about the right pronunciation of this Name It was read Iave or Iahave by the Samaritans but this is laid aside and Mercer and Drusius read it Ieheve Some think that Iehejeh Erit was the word used at first by the Iews and that afterwards it was corruptly changed into Ieheveh the Iod being turned into Vau. The true Punctation of the Proper Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was anciently Iahavoh saith the Learned Prefacer to the First Volume of Dr. Lightfoot's Works but he is not pleased to give any Reason for it Whether Galatinus was the first that read and pronounced it Iehovah I will not here inquire but this is certain he had it from the Masorites according to whose Points it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and without question those Hebrew Criticks had it from the best and ancientest Copies This was the â—irst and truest reading and some Mens varying from it hath proceeded from their Belief of the Iewish Conceit and Tradition that their Fore-Fathers knew not how to read or pronounce the Tetragrammaton But though it is true they seldom or never spake it yet this did not
are not Nice and Accurate in giving every Occurrence or Event its right Place whence it is that you meet with some things in these Writings that are transposed and out of Order and it is left to the Diligent and Inquisitive Reader to amend and reform thoâ—e Dislocations Those who would see farther Reasons of that frequent Metathesis and Misplacing which are in the Sacred Books may consult the Learned Dr. Lightfoot in his Chronicle of the Times of thâ— Old Testament CHAP. IV. There are not only Grammatical but Rhetorical Figures in the Sacred Volume The Psalmist's Words Psal. 120. 5. are Hyperbolical though not generally interpreted to be such So are our Saviour's Words Matth. 13. 32. though commonly expounded otherwise Luke 19. 44. rejected form being Hyperbolical John 21. 25. proved to be an Hyperbole This way of speaking in Scripture is no Lie Ironies are frequent in this Holy Book of which several Examples are produced Luke 22. 36 is shew'd to be of this sort And so is Acts 23. 5. I wist not that he was the High Priest This manner of speaking is not unworthy of the Sacred Penmen Synecdoches frequent in Scripture proved from several Instances Metaphors also common Solomon's Metaphorical Description of Old Age in Eccles. 12. expounded in all its Parts THere are not only Grammatical but Rhetorical Figures in this Sacred Volume the chief of which I will briefly speak of not to say that I have mentioned some of them already And though as I said of the former they have been observed by several Writers yet one Reason why I mention them here is because I shall have occasion to reduce some Texts to these Figures which have not been so interpreted by other Authors First Hyperboles are not unusual in these Holy Writings these are such Speeches as seem to surpass the bare Truth either by augmenting or diminishing it Thus a Great Caldron one of the Vessels of the Temple that held a vast Quantity of Water is call'd a Sea a molten Sea 1 Kings 7. 23. a brazen Sea 2 Kings 25. 13. It is said that the Cities were walled up to Heaven Deut. 1. 28. and that Solomon made Silver in Jerusalem as Stones 1 Kings 10. 27. and that at his being anointed King the People rejoiced with great Ioy so that the Earth rent with the Sound of them 1 Kings 1. 40. Upon which Places and some others the Jews found that Saying of theirs The Law sometimes speaks Hyperbolically The Description of Behemoth is full of this sort of Language He moveth his Tail like a Cedar his Bones are as strong pieces of Brass and Bars of Iron he drinketh up a River he trusteth that he can draw up Jordan into his Mouth Job 40. 17 c. Xerxes's Army was said to drink whole Rivers dry in that Hyperbolical Sense in which this is spoken of Behemoth which proves what I have asserted that the Scripture symbolizeth with other Writers or rather they with it The like Hyperbolical Description you have of the Leviathan Job 41. 18 to the end And such is that of the Locusts Joel 2. 2 12. all which is indeed one Continued Hyperbole wherein he elegantly and pathetically describes them as a well-formed Army as Virgil in his Georgicks loftily doth the Ants It nigrum campis agmen So all is Poetical and Hyperbolical in Psal. 18. 7 16. As for Psal. 120. 5. Wo is me that I sojourn in Mesech and dwell in the Tents of Kedar few Expositors take it to be of this kind Becausâ— Mesech signifies protracting or prolonging some interpret the first Clause thus I have a LONG time dwelt and because Kedar signifies Blackness they understand it of the Sadness of his Condition Others would translate the pious King to those Places and Countries which bear the Name of Mesech and Kedar thinking that he was for some time confined to those Places And there are other Conjectures about the Words but the true Import of them in my Apprehension is this David being banished from home expresseth it as if he were among the barbâ—rous Scythians as if he were in the wild Desarts of Arabia Or if you take Mesech and Kedar to be both of them in Arabia as some do then still the Sense is the same I sojourn I dwell I inhabit among the inhospitable People of Arabia call'd Scenitae because they lived in Tents or in that part of the Wilderness where the Israelites pitchâ—d in Tents when they travell'd to the Land of Canaan There is my Abode at present I am no longer one of Iudea This is an Hyperbolical Speech to set forth the Nature of those Inhumanâ— and Malicious People into whose Hands he was fallen and with whom he was forced to converse at that time To this sort of Speech we may refer Psal. 97. 5. The Hills melted like Wax Isa. 34. 3. The Mountains shall be melted with their Blood Ezek. 32. 6. I will water with thy Blood c. I will makâ— the Blood of the slain so abundant that it shall reach upto the very Mountains and all the Rivers shall be â—ill'd with Blood which is to be look'd upon as an Hyperbolical Description of Egypt's Destruction So Ezek. 39. 9 10. They shall burn the Weapons with â—ire seven Years so that they shall take no Wood out of the Field nor cut down any out of the Forests is an elevated Strain of speaking to express the Multitude of the Weapons and Spoils taken from the Enemy and the vast Slaughter of them At the first View those Words in Obadiaâ— ver 4. Though thou set thy Nest among the Stars must be acknowledged to be highly Hyperbolical Neither is the New Testament without this kind of speaking as to instance in Matth. 13. 32. which I grant is not reckoned by Writers among the Hyperboles of Scripture but I appeal to the Learned whether it ought not Of the Mustard-seed there in the Parable Christ saith It is indeed the least of all Seeds for though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be the Greek Word yet as hath been noted before it is here put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as is plain from its being joined with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so it is rightly rendred the least of all Seeds but this is not exactly true for the Seeds of Sweet-marjoram and Wild Poppy are far less and the Seeds of Tobacco are so small that a thousand of them make not above one single Grain in Weight but all must give place to the Seed of Moon-wort which câ—rtainly is a Seed of the least size that is And another reckons among the smallest Seeds of Plants those of Reed-mace and of Harts-tongue and of some sorts of Mosses and Ferns And of these latter I have read that some of them are so small that they cannot be seen without the Help of a Microscope But our Saviour to set forth and magnify the wonderful Power of the Word of God and the Increasing and Spreading of his
was in the way of a Miracle It is said the Lord prepared this Fish to swallow up Jonas ver 7. God in an unusual and wonderful manner effected the Deliverance of the Prophet by appointing this Whale to receive him and rescue him from the raging Sea He fitted and prepared him to take him down into the Caverns of his Belly 〈◊〉 he so framed his narrow Throat that he was able to swallow him down whole The Parts were so stretch'd at that time that a greater than Ionas might have pass'd through There is no reason then to object the Natural Frame and Make of the Fish But we may rest in the Septuagint's rendring the word who expresly call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Whale and especially we may be satisfied with our Saviour's Determination who hath limited the Signification of those words a great Fish and hath expresly told us that Ionas was in the Whale's Belly Mat. 12. 40. Though the Book of Ionas mentions not a Whale yet here we 〈◊〉 â—ssured that it was that very Fish which was made the happy means of the Prophet's preservation And yet here may be some Uncertainty still for a Whale perhaps may not be taken strictly in this place but may only signify one of the Cetaceous Animals among which those are reckon'd that have Lungs as the Dolphin Seal or Sea-calf Porpus Pristis or Saw-fish Tuny We may hold that some other Fish of the Nature of a Whale but not of that particular Frame as to its Throat is here meant and so the former Objection vanisheth But I think there is a way to reconcile this and yet at the same time we may assert that our Saviour means a Whale properly and strictly so called that is as 't is credibly said to be a Great Fish with a Little Throat so little besure that a Man cannot have any passage through it and consequently that Ionas had not If I may be allowed to offer my particular Opinion I conceive that when 't is said by the Prophet Ionas concerning himself that he was in the Belly of the Fish Chap. 1. 17. and when it is said by our Saviour that he was in the Belly of the Whale Mat. 12. 40. the word Belly is not to be understood in a strict Sense The Hebrew word in the former place is of a Large Extent and denotes rather the Bowels than the Belly i. e. it is oftentimes in the Sacred Writ understood of the Inward and Vnseen Parts of any thing which are call'd the Bowels The Greek word in the latter place is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is of a larger Signification and imports any middle or any inward and deep place as in Iohn 7. 38. especially some remote hollow place and so here we are to understand by it some hollow part 〈◊〉 the Fish's Body and consequently it may denote to us not the Lowest Ventricle which is usually call'd the Belly but the Mouth which is a Concave Part of the Body And this is here most Emphatically applied to this particular Fish because as we are certainly informed it hath a Mouth by which I mean all that large place on both sides and in the middle between the Lips or outward Mouth and the Passage down the Throat all which is of a most Wonderful and Prodigious Magnitude it hath I say a Mouth of so vast a Capacity that it may rather be call'd a Belly than a Mouth and therefore is not unfitly termed so although in propriety and strictness of Speaking it is not the Belly but the Mouth We must take notice then that this is the Language and Idiom of the Sacred Writers So Beten venter signifies not always the Belly properly but the inward Parts in general as in 1 Kings 7. 20. and Prov. 22. 18. which latter we translate within thee Kereb likewise which is another word for venter is usually rendred medium intimum intestinum the word is used as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among the Greeks and as Vmbilicus among the Latins for the middle of any thing That Belly or Bowels are used to signify what is inmost and hidden is clear from Psal. 40. 8. Thy Law is in the midst of my Bowels shut up and reposited within my Heart and so in Iob 15. 35. Ch. 30. 27. The Belly in the Stile of Scripture and in other Writers is usually mention'd to express any Inward Receptacle or Place to receive and contain a thing Among Anatomists it hath been made use of in the latitude of the word to signify not only the 〈◊〉 properly so call'd but the other Cavities of the Body the Head and Breast So in that Comparison which our Saviour made between himself and Ionas you may remember that the Heart of the Earth answers to the Whale's Belly to let you see that both these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are the same and signify some dark and remote Receptacles where Things or Persons are laid up for a time As Ionas was in the Whale's Belly so Christ was in the Heart of the Earth to acquaint us that as the word Heart is not understood here strictly and properly so neither is the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it signifies Belly The Heart of the Earth was the Grave or Sepulcher where our Saviour lay though 't was not strictly speaking the Heart so by the Whale's Belly is meant the place where Ionas was held and imprison'd though it was not the Belly in the strictness of Speech But as the Grave is to the Earth so is the Mouth to the Body our Saviour was hidden in the one Ionas was preserv'd in the other viz. in the Mouth of the Whale And the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used in Iob. 7. 38. to denote not properly the Belly though we render it so but the inward Part of Man Out of his Belly shall flow Rivers of living Water alluding to the Cisterns or Vessels of Stone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 call'd by the Seventy Interpreters Prov. 5. 15. out of which by certain Pipes or Cocks they let out the Water in abundance And further it might be observ'd that those words which express these inward and invisible Parts have their Denomination from the hollowness of them as Kebah ventriculus is from Kab or Kabab cavavit and so Kobah of the same Signification is from the same Root and is so named from its Cavity and that for this reason because these inward Vessels and Parts are able to hold and contain things and also are Channels and Passages to convey and transmit them These are properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and are call'd so from their hollowness and capaciousness Thus in the Matter before us though we do not restrain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Abdomen the Belly strictly so named yet we take it in its proper and genuine Denotation that is as it signifies that Vast and
the Iews or other Eastern People but they made Broad Cakes and these they broke with their Hands whence we so often read of breaking Bread If they were somewhat thick they were generally call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Loaves of Bread 1 Sam. 10. 3. but if they were very thin or if they were of a siner sort of Flour they had the Name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cakes Lev. 7. 12 13. From these Sacred Records we may also learn what was the Primitive Drink Foo though 't is not expresly said any where that they drank Water before the Flood yet we may rationally gather so much because this simple Element was most sutable to their simple and plain sort of Feeding which is in direct Terms express'd And that this was the general Beverage after the Flood also we are assured from positive Texts Gen. 21. 19. 24. 14. Iob 22. 7. 1 Kings 13. 22. Prov. 25. 21. Likewise from these Authentick Writings we know that another Liquor which was denied to the world before was now granted them viz. Milk Gen. 18. 8. Deut. 32. 14. Iudg. 4. 19. Cant. 5. 1. Yea Wine the choicest of all Liquors became the usual Drink of those Eastern Countries which was occasion'd thus the Knowledg of which can be known only from Scripture originally God having granted an Indulgence to eat Flesh Noah took it for a sufficient Intimation that they might change their Drink sometimes wherefore he being a Man of Observation and Prudence gathering from the goodness of Grdpes the virtue and benefit of Wine for even before the Flood they did eat Grapes as all other Fruits of the Earth but drank no Wine unless we grant that the bold and luxurious Sinners of Cain's Offspring sometime before the Deluge knew this Liquor and abused themselves with it for 't is said they drank Luk. 17. 27. i. e. they excessively gave themselves to some Strong and Intoxicating Liquor Noah I say understanding the benefit of Wine and apprehending how seasonable and comfortable it would be at that time when the Flood had so chill'd the Earth and Air and made every thing look bleak and dismal he began to be an Husbandman â—â—h Haadamah a Man of the Earth Gen. 9. 20. and among other Instances of his Husbandry he planted a Vineyard he set Vines in that warm Country where he was seated viz. Armenia He chose this as a proper Soil for them for Armenid is noted for an excellent Ground for Vines and the Vines of that Place are celebrated by Historians Others planted Vines before him mixing them with other Trees but Noah planted a Place of Vines only this is properly Kerem Vineâ— Others had planted Vines in their Grounds that they might eat the Grapes that grew on them and perhaps some as was hinted before had preserv'd the Juico of them and made themseves drunk with it but Noah's Plantation of Vines was purposely in order to make Wine of the Fruit of them Thus he was the First that planted a Vineyard the skilful ordering of that generous Fruit to this particular End was first found out by him And now when the Good Old Man had taken this Pains and we may suppose was very weary and thirsty he began to taste the Fruit of his Labours which happen'd to be with ill Success for he had chosen so excellent a Spot of Ground and had so richly cultivated it that the Product of it proved too potâ—nt the Liquor of that noble Plant which he too rashly made an Experiment of and with some Greediness took down was too strong for his Brain But as he sinned once in this kind so he never did the like again Yea as he found out Wine so 't is not improbable that he admonish'd Men from his Failing to use it soberly What the Paganâ—â— Writings say of the first Inventer of Wine is little to be heeded unless you refer it to this Noah who is represented by their Bacchus and Ianus They all agree that the former of these first planted Vines and found out the Art of managing them and made Wine of the Fruit of them wherefore they confound him with the latter viz. Ianus who had his Name from Iajin Vinum This was no other than Noah the happy Author of this Boon to Mankind And his Sons propagated this Art he especially that went to inhabit in Africk whence as was observed by an Antient Writer the Poets feigned that Dionysius in the Days of Deuâ—alion discovered this Art of making Wine to the Person that entertained him in Africk They had antiently other Strong Liquors besides Wine the general Word for which wa◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lev. 10. 9. Numb 6. 3. Iudg. 1 3. 4 7. 29. 9. Isa. 5. 11. 28. 7. Prov. 20. 1. rendred always 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Seventy except in two Placesâ— Psal. 69. 12. Prov. 31. 4. where 't is translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Greek Word is once mentioned in thâ— New Testament viz. Luke 1. 15. and is rendredâ— by our Translators as the word Shacar in the Old Testament strong Drink It is all Inebriating Drink saith Origen So saith another Greek Writer with whom agrees a Learned Latine Father But others that have criticized on the Word especially the Hebrew Doctors tell us that 't is all Strong Drink except Wine But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isa. 1. 22. Hoâ— 4. 18. is a Word that signifies Wine properly so called i. e. the Juice of the Grape and also alâ— factitious Wines i. e. strong Liquors made of Mulberries Palms Pine-nuts Apples Pears and other Fruits So that what we call Sider Perry c. is that Drink which was by the Hebrews call'd Soba Aâ—d the Rabbins comprehend under this Term Ale and tell us there was such a sort ofâ— Liquor of old in use among the Medes and Persians the same which was antiently used in Egypt and found out by Osiris one of the Kings of that Place for Diodorus the Sicilian relates that iâ— the Countries where there were no Vines this King caused them to make a Drink of Water and Barley which Herodotus had before taken notice of calling it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Barley-wine is mentioned by Athenaeus I will only add here under this Head that they used of old to dash and mingle their Wine with Water whence a Cup of Mixture Psal. 75. 8. is a Cup of Wine and Wine is expressed by Mixture according to the Hebrew Prov. 23. 30. And since I have gone thus far and have enquired into the First Eating and Drinking of the People of the World I will proceed further on this Subject and from the same unquestionable Records give some Account of the Posture which they used in Eating and Drinking We may here inform our selves that at first they sat at Meat i. e. they either spread something on the Ground and sat upon it or
his numerous Host the Marvelous Securing and Protecting of the Israelites in the Arabian Desarts the strange Miracles wrought for the sustaining and preserving of them the Promulging of the Law to them on Mount Sinai which consisted of Moral Precepts Civil or Judicial Constitutions and Ceremonial Rites for the celebrating and performing of which latter a Tabernacle was erected as Rich and Stately as their present Condition would permit by the particular Appointment and Direction of God Briefly this Book represents the Church of God afflicted and preserved it shews that he is pleas'd to suffer it to be reduced to the greatest Straits and Calamities and that even then he guards it by his Providence and in good time delivers it But as before when I mention'd the General Contents of the Book of Genesis I particularly insisted on the Creation so now having given a brief Scheme of this second Book I will stay to enlarge upon a particular Subject of it which is very Considerable and Remarkable viz. the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as One calls it the Tenfold Plague wherewith God testified his Wrath and Anger against the Egyptians Ten times the Israelites were detained by Pharaoh and so many times God inflicted Remarkable Judgments on him and his People The first was a severe Infliction on their Waters that Element which is so useful and necessary to Man The Divine Displeasure began to exert it self here by turning all their Rivers Ponds Pools and Streams into Blood The dreadful Consequences of which were these as you find them enumerated Exod 7. 21. first they had no Water to drink and quench their Thirst with Secondly their Fish their great and almost only Food died and Thirdly the Rivers stank by reason of the putrified Waters and dead Fish So direful was this Plague on their Waters which they honour'd above all other Elements as the first Cause and Principle of all things in World and especially their River Nile was gloried in and worship'd as a God This the Learned and Religious Philo gives as the Reason of inflicting this Punishment God sent a Curse on that which they most prized and valued That which they excessively admired proved a Plague to them God punish'd them in that which was most regarded by them and was indeed most serviceable to them Again this is to be observed that the Blood of the murder'd Infants who had been drown'd by one of the Pharaoh's Command is here represented by these Bloody Waters Here the merciless Tyrant may see the just Retaliation of that Crime The Rivers being chang'd into this Colour accuse the Egyptians of the inhumane Slaughter of the innocent Babes and let them know that their Plagues deservedly begun with these first of all Yea here we may take notice of an Horrible Omen these Red Rivers were an unhappy but just Presage of the Fate which they should afterwards undergo in the Sea of that Denomination If any Object here How could the Magicians turn the Waters into Blood v. 22. after Moses and Aaâ—on had done so before them I Answer the Universal Terms used in this Relation are to be restrained and understood with some Exception than which nothing is more common in Scripture i. e. when 't is said all the Rivers and other Waters were stained with Blood the meaning is that very few Places were free from this Infection The Magicians then might repeat this Plague in Goshen and some certain Parts of Egypt where it had not taken effect before When this First Plague was removed God sent a Second viz. Frogs Which in part tormented the Egyptians after the same manner that the former did for they were of an extraordinary Nature and so we must suppose all the other Creatures hereafter named to be and infected the Waters which were lately healed and recovered so that there was no drinking of them or making use of them to any other Purpose But whereas the former Plague was only on this Element this present one was every where No Place was exempted from this Croaking Vermin They overspread their Fields they crept into their Houses they lodg'd themselves in their Beds All Places were filled with them all Meats and Drinks bred them Certainly this must needs be a very Affrighting as well as a Noisom Punishment whilst these Animals were moving and living and they were no less so â—fterwards when they lay dead and putrifying all â—ver the Land When this Plague was taken away a Third succeeded in its room an Innumerable Company of Lice which miserably infested both Men and Beasts What these Kinnim were we do not certainly know we have no such Creature perhaps in these Countries But this we know that these Loathsom Insects were such a peculiar Sort of Creatures that the Egyptian Sorcerers had not power to produce the like and therefore they signally call'd them the Finger of God Exod. 8. 19. This also we know that this Crawling Vermin was excessively troublesom painful and tormenting and lastly from this kind of Punishment we know this is to be inferred that God whensoever he pleases can give Commission even to the Least the Vilest and most Despicable Animals to execute his Wrath on Offenders As appears also by the Fourth Plague viz. Swarmâ— of Flies with which he further vex'd the Egyptians Beelzebub was let loose among them and his Buzzing Crew would not suffer them to be at ease The Hebrew Word Gnarob is rendered by Greek Interpreters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Dog-fly but 't is probable that the true genuine Word in the First Traslation was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence the Vulgar Latin renders it omne genus Muscarum a Swarm of all manner of Flies So according to Aquila's Version it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But Iosephus stretches the Word further and interprets it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wild Beasts of all Sorts and Shapes such as no man ever saw before as he adds Yea R. Solomon and some other Jewish Expositors think that all kinds of wild Beasts especially Serpents and Scorpions and such venomous Creatures are meant The Author of the Book of Wisdom understood the Word thus as appears from what he saith Ch. 11. v. 15 16. For the foolish Devices of their Wickedness wherewith being deceived they worshipp'd Serpents and vile Beasts God sent a Multitude of Beasts upon them for Vengeance that they might know that wherewithal a Man sinneth by the same also shall he be punish'd But the exactest Enquirers into the Original Word conclude that it signifies a gather'd Mixture of several Sorts of Insects or little flying Animals such as Beetles Hornets Bees Wasps Gnats and more especially â—lies Perhaps Grotius is in the right that Gnaroâ— is not of Hebrew Extraction but is an Egyptian Word as was that whereby the Frogs were named and signifies peculiarly with them a Heap or Swarm of Flies The vast Number of these was sufficiently troublesome but that was not all these Multitudes of Insects
and Sands of it by Reflection aâ— Repercussion of the Sun's Rays give such a Tâ—â— cture or Colour to the Waters but this also 〈◊〉 a mere Fancy and hath been confuted by thoâ—â— who have purposely writ of this Particular Sâ—â— viz. that Part of the Ocean on the East whiâ—â— strikes in with a Bay into the Arabian Shores aâ—â— parts Asia from Africa in those Places and â— those who have seen it and tell us it differs not froâ— other Seas In brief all impartial Writers agrâ—â— that it can't be call'd so from its Red Colour because it hath nothing of that to be seen in it Why then did the Learned Seventy Elders of the Jewâ— translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Red-Sea The Reasons we may conceive to be these because first the Hebrew word Suph gave some occasion for it it being as I said before that kind of Sea-weed which was used in dying of Cloth with a red Colour and so may be translated red as murex is purple because murex is that Shell 〈◊〉 of the Liquor whereof Purple is made But the chief and indeed the only proper Reason for the other was but an Occasion of this Version of the Seventy is this because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath reference to One that was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Red and this was no other than Edom or Esau for in express words the Scripture saith Esau is Edom Gen. 36. 1. â—ow Edom in Hebrew is the same that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is â— Greek whence Philostratus saith Mare Eryâ—aeum was call'd so from Erythras with whom â—gree Strabo Curtius and other Historians who relate that it was named so from Erythraeus a King of that Country or Coast where this Sea is This â—rythras or Erythraeus was Esau who was called Edom it signifying the very same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—d that for these two Reasons both which are â—â—â—igned in Scripture and therefore we cannot â—â—â—stion the Truth of them First Because he â—as ruddy at his Nativity he came out red Gen. 25. 25. whence you read in the same Verse that â—e had his Name Secondly Because he was an â—xcessive Admirer and Lover of Red Pottage thus â—â—is expresly said in the 30th verse Therefore his Name was called Edom because he was so eager 〈◊〉 be fed with that red Broth. This Edom gave Deâ—omination to the Land where he was great and â—â—led and accordingly it was call'd the Land of Edom Num. 21. 4. and is so in other places and the Sea adjoining to this Land received its Name from him too therefore you find them both join'd together in this place in the Book of Numbers They journied by the way of the Red-Sea to compass the Land of Edom. As we know Seas are denominated from the Persons and People they belong to as the British the German the Indian the Ethiopian Sea so it is here the Red-Sea hath its name from Edom who is Esau i. e. Red who by the Greeks was accordingly stiled Erythras or Erythraeâ—â— which signifies the same Thus these Pagan Nomenclators have left us some Remains of Sacred History in this and other Names that they have impos'd upon Persons and Things The coming forth of the Israelites from Eâ—â— is attested by Berosus Strabo Numenius and 〈◊〉 The last of these whom we have quoted bâ—â— as a substantial Witness to the Verity of the 〈◊〉 saick History tells us that Moses who led â— People out of Egypt stole from the Natives of 〈◊〉 Country some of their sacred things which any 〈◊〉 may see is founded upon what we read in E 〈…〉 31. 21. 12. 25. They went not out empty 〈◊〉 took with them Vessels of Gold and Silver and Gâ—â—â— ments It is expresly attested by the same P 〈…〉 Historian that the Jews travell'd in the Deâ—â—â—â— of Arabia and that Moses came to Mount Siâ—â—â— with other things relating to their Travels throâ—â—â— that Place All which are Authentick Evideâ—â—â— of the Truth of Scripture-History Herodotus's Relation of the fiery Flying-Serpâ—â—â— in Arabia is a Confirmation of what we meet wiâ—â— in Numb 21. 6. where we are told that the Isrâ—â—â— elites were stung and tormented with Fiery â—â—â—pents in their Passage through the Wilderneâ—â— As to the Brazen Serpent mention'd in the saâ—â— Chapter whereby the Israelites were healed is may be no far-fetch'd Imagination to think thâ—â— the Magical Images and Sculptures among thâ— Heathens especially the Egyptians which tâ—â— Greeks call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Arabians 〈…〉 ruptly from the Greek Talisman were Imitati ons of this They were certainly for the saâ—â— purpose viz. to avert Evil and Mischief from Pâ—â—â—â—sons therefore Gaffarel thinks these Talisman weâ—â— the same with the Averrunci among the old Romans and some of the old Hebrew Doctors haâ—◠〈◊〉 them the name of Scuta Davidis on the same â—â—ount It is not improbable that the Images of 〈◊〉 and Mice which the Philistian Magitians 〈◊〉 use of were from the same Original and 〈◊〉 the first and earliest Emulations of the Ne 〈◊〉 For as to what Leunclavius saith conâ—â—â—ning the later Invention of the Talismans viz. 〈◊〉 they were not till Apollonius Tyanaeus's time 〈◊〉 that he was the Inventer of them is founded â—â—olly on their being called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Iustin Martyr which supposing 〈◊〉 wise the Author out of whom he took it not 〈◊〉 be spurious imports only this that they were â—â—â—pared and used by him not that they were his â—vention Some tell us that the Telesmatical â—gure of a Stork or Scorpion made under a cerâ—ain Configuration of the Heavens hath driven â—way Storks and Scorpions just as the Figure and â—imilitude of a Serpent drove away the venomous â—iery Serpents and cured those that were stung 〈◊〉 them But I need not stay here to shew the â—ast Dissimilitude between the one and the other â—â—r the Brazen Serpent set up by Moses was not a â—elesme i. e. a Statue or Figure that hath its â—ower and Efficacy from the Influence of the Stars â—â—d the Shape of the Thing it self It cured not 〈◊〉 Art or Nature but by Divine Institution It â—as erected by the immediate Appointment and Direction of God himself and was moreover a Type and Representation of the Cruciâ—ied Jesus â—â—t the Telesmatical Images among the Pagans â—ere made on purpose to take the Influence of â—â—e particular Stars and operated as they said 〈◊〉 virtue of the Likeness of the Figures to the Things themselves We may more truly say they were acted by some Evil Daemons that desigâ—â—â— both to amuse and deceive the World and 〈◊〉 make these Telesmatical Preparations serviceâ—â—â—â— as generally they were to superstitious and idolatrous Ends. But that which I am chiefly to â—â—â—serve here is this that it is probable these Tâ—â—mans of the Pagans were derived at first from thâ— Brazen Serpent This is certain that many of theâ—â— Magical Rites were founded on